FLR(M) or SET(M), a total predicament; I am a ball of stress. A stressy mess.

No problem with FLR.

Vicky

Your doctor screwed you over.  Their 'rule' was unlawful.

Did your mum ever write to you?  Did anyone, ever, anywhere, ever send you any post?  Anything at all?


Vicky

It was unlawful?!? They told me it was the rule! I can't believe I let them do that! I remember I explained I wanted to register as a new patient, that my husband was registered there as a patient, that I had just arrived from the US and now lived in the UK. They told me they had to check "the rules" and would call me back. They called me a couple hours later and informed me that I had to wait "three months" before they could register me as a new patient. So, obviously, new and unsure on how things worked over here, I just took that for what it was. My husband didn't know how it worked here in terms of people in my position, so he took it for what it was, too. I waited for three months and called them back and then it was no problem. They even confirmed the date I arrived here to make sure it actually had been three months! Oh, that really bothers me...

I definitely may have the odd card/postcard or perhaps things from my mother. Definitely will have things like that (as I never throw that stuff away!) Should that help?! Just not sure what I have saved in terms of envelopes. Hopefully something...

Now because of all of this, I MAY now have to get it in the mail on the 7th, instead of tomorrow like I was aiming for. I know it isn't good - but they will accept a postmarked application on the 7th (the day my visa expires) still, right?  

As Mort said, on or before...so if your visa expires on the 7th, as Kitson said send by recorded or special delivery on the 7th, keep the slip, and you will be fine.

Vicky

I am going to have to do that now and go into the town I used to live in and try to get these things... instead, tomorrow.

Ugh, I'm such an emotional mess now.

Good luck finding something, even if you can try for letters from official or professional types stating you were in residence during that time.  I wonder if someone at your GP might be willing to write a really quick paragraph on letterhead saying you registered at their office on such and such date and listed _____ as your address--that's something.  You could just pick it up in person.  I'm sorry if our advice may have mislead you at all.  You focused more on your worry about not having enough documents, so when you started finding enough, I didn't realize that you meant you didn't have any from most of the first year.  

This is one of those situations that doing a document check with someone fab like Vicky, as was suggested, would really have been helpful!  I know budget has been super tight for you, but this could be an ouch.  I hate saying that since you are already stressed.

Would the OP be able to qualify for the FLR still with that same app (even though she'd lose the extra money for the ILR application) if she doesn't get the ILR?  If so, you can at least set your mind at ease that way and know you can stay in the country.

Yes, the first year was really tough for me in terms of a lot of things.

I'm so frustrated now. I totally screwed this up. But not intentionally. I definitely couldn't have stretched my budget any further.

I have only found (so far) one wedding date announcement mailed to me AND my husband from my cousin in the States in March, 2007. (Date shown stamped on the front of the envelope.) I will include it and whatever other random pieces of early mail with everything. I will also attempt to get in touch with my old GP (I moved like I mentioned, so I am no longer registered with the first GP) about perhaps writing a letter and me going in later to fetch it...

 It's nearly 2am and I am absolutely burnt out. Will rise very early to continue...
If getting a proof postage, recorded delivery on Jan. 7th, even though my visa expires that date, is okay, then I will do as much as humanly possible tomorrow to cover/make-up for the lack of official mail on hand from the early months of living here... and just hope for the best. Not much else I can do... but I will certainly try my best. I have a good job with the NHS, and I love my life with my husband, and I just don't want to run into any problems that could affect anything I have going on here now.

It's not like they could remove you if you were refused, they'd just give you FLR and you'd apply again in four months.

Vicky

But I would have to pay the £750 again, yes?

Well - spoke to my previous/first GP in the UK and they said they charge £25 for a letter from them stating the date I registered with them and confirming my address! My husband pleaded with them for their help and they are going to speak to the GP and see if they can decrease the price a little... and my husband will hopefully pick that up tomorrow (he is going to mail it all on his own now before work tomorrow, the 7th.)

We, more easily than expected, also got a signed letter from my previous landlord confirming date I moved in to that house.

I will send whatever else I can find from those early months, too...

Do you perchance still have the medical card from when you registered at your first GP?  Mine has my name and address and the date I registered.  If you still have it, and you registered after 3 months in the UK, that is something a little earlier...

Do you perchance still have the medical card from when you registered at your first GP?  Mine has my name and address and the date I registered.  If you still have it, and you registered after 3 months in the UK, that is something a little earlier...

I never got a medical card from them? 

You should have an NHS card...looks like this:

http://ukstudentsecrets.com/Images/NHS%20Medical%20Card.jp

Not everyone gets one.  I've never had one in my life despite being registered at various GPs.

When I registered I was sent a letter stating they no longer issued the cards.

Wow, I've got two now from the two GP surgeries I've been registered with, the most recent in April of '08.  Maybe different trusts have stopped issuing them?

In any event, I meant NHS card...

Unfortunately, I can't get WebyJ's link to work, but when I Google 'NHS medical card photo', I get it to come up, if you want to see what one looks like...

I got one for my daughter in July 2008, maybe it depends on your PCT?